Hundreds of colourful plant pots and other street decorations in Lancaster Road have gone missing, reports James Cracknell
Street decorations that had adorned an Enfield high street for the past few months have suddenly all disappeared.
The colourful plant pots, ribbons and bicycle wheels, attached to bollards and barriers along Lancaster Road, were the work of Kerri Bullen and a team of volunteers at her gift shop, Boho Flo.
The decorations had been widely admired by locals in the area as they helped brighten up an otherwise drab street. They even earned Kerrie a nomination as an ‘Enfield Community Hero’ in June.
But last Wednesday Kerrie woke up to find every decoration – more than 200 separate items – had all gone missing, with no trace of them remaining. Even the cable ties had been removed.
Although Kerrie admits that she never sought permission from Enfield Council to install any of her decorations, she says she has been reassured that council workers had not removed them.
“I turned up last Wednesday [3rd August] to find absolutely everything had gone,” she told the Dispatch.
“The only bit of CCTV that’s been looked at so far is from the Co-op [supermarket]. I haven’t seen it but they said they found two women removing the bicycle wheels between 3.30am and 4am.
“Obviously it is someone who didn’t like the decorations. But it is so mean spirited.
“Everyone is devastated. The kids had painted the tins [plant pots], they enjoyed seeing them every morning. The bicycle wheels were donated by a lady who lost her husband. And there were volunteers who watered the plants everyday, one of them says she feels bereft.
“It is disheartening that people could be so awful. They [the decorations] were not doing anyone any harm.”
The Lancaster Road flowers had even been entered into the Enfield in Bloom competition. Kerrie said: “It would be ironic if we win something.”
Among those angry at the loss of the street decorations is Hannah Dyson, a Conservative councillor for Whitewebbs ward, which includes Lancaster Road. Cllr Dyson said: “Lots of people donated plants and it was good for business and people’s wellbeing.
“Lancaster Road being a high traffic area can be a stressful environment and the community project brought joy to many as well as hope.”
Derek Grant, a resident in the area, added: “The decorations had been so lovingly and painstakingly put up in an attempt to make Lancaster Road a more friendly and welcoming place. They represented many hours of dedicated community work. This is a terrible blow to all who contributed to this project; it has caused a great deal of distress.”
While the theft of the decorations has been reported to the police, they have said they won’t be investigating.
Undeterred, Kerrie now says she will return in future with more street decorations that will be “bigger and better”.
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